This is a constant question in my clinic: can I give my dog eggs? Or they also ask me if they can eat it in its different forms: raw egg, fried, in the form of French omelet… even how many eggs a dog can eat. Below we try to answer these questions.
We spend fortunes in commercial foods that are terrible when at home we have foods a thousand times cheaper and of unequaled quality, an example of this are eggs. Let’s talk today about them in your dog’s diet, some myths and realities.
Raw or fried egg for dogs
Raw eggs are not as assimilable as cooked eggs. One of the advantages of cooking, in general, is that it makes food much more digestible, because heat breaks certain bonds that facilitate digestion. In eggs there are two factors called Avidin and biotin. Biotin is a vitamin present in the yolk, but it is “kidnapped” by avidin (protein present in the egg white). When the egg is given raw, the avidin is sequestered and is not absorbed. How to solve this? By frying or boiling the egg, therefore we strongly recommend to give the egg boiled, fried…
Egg for dogs in the shape of a French omelette
As it is a common comment, that’s why I highlight it. It doesn’t matter if you give your dog scrambled eggs or in the form of French omelet, it is an excellent source of protein, but avoid salt, and if you cook for you and you are going to share it, AVOID WHITE SALT, use Himalayan salt. I recommend you to read this article: Salt in your dog’s diet.
How many eggs can a dog eat?
I don’t like to answer that kind of questions, because it is to pigeonhole you in a number. It is to use a little common sense, if you give your dog eggs every day he will end up getting bored, and it is not the same amount in a Yorkshire dog than in a German Shepherd, it is as simple as that.
You can offer it as a meal, with other complements, imagine scrambled eggs with some fruit and vegetables, he will love it, a meal like this repeated 3-4 times a week is a high quality diet.
Eggs are a quality protein for dogs
Eggs can be given to dogs because they are a very complete food, for humans, dogs, cats… excellent source of protein, fat, vitamins, even calcium, and not only because it is present in the shell, but also in the yolk.
As simple as an egg contains all the elements to create a new life of a superior organism such as a chick, a duck, an eagle… The egg is considered to be the exemplary quality protein and is said to have a biological value of 100%.
Eggs for dogs: salmonella and other bacteria
Pet food companies, and veterinarians, are always trying to spread fear about the risks of feeding natural foods to your dog.
I remind you that all animals eat their food raw, this does not mean that there are no risks of infection, there are, as with commercial food.
Thousands of dogs and cats die in the world because of contaminated commercial food, and neither veterinarians nor companies tell you about this, obviously.
Here you can see an OFFICIAL FDA (Food and drugs administration) list of pet foods recalled for being contaminated, many of them with salmonella, there have even been people who have died from infection when handling their dog’s food contaminated with salmonella: contaminated commercial dog food.
Back to the salmonella, egg and cooking issue. With the sad fad of BARF and other nonsense people take liberties with their dog as if it were a food processor, they don’t bother to learn first.
With a few simple precautions, you can avoid the risks present in raw foods. In countries with high food safety standards, or by purchasing from establishments with high levels of quality standards, the likelihood of buying eggs with salmonella or any other infectious threat is very low, very low.
You can give raw eggs, but fried or boiled eggs are much more recommendable…
In any case, these very low probabilities are eliminated by cooking. I insist on raw diets (BARF). As it is fashionable, people want to give everything raw, it is not bad, but there are things that can be improved.
I have nothing against raw or cooked, in our clinic we send raw, semi-cooked or cooked diets, it depends on the patient and his situation.
This is not to say that raw eggs are bad, but we believe that they are much more assimilable if they undergo a cooking process beforehand.
Dogs, eggs and allergy
Although it is a food of the highest quality, certain dogs may have egg allergy, to be more specific, to its protein. Allergies are mostly to proteins. It can take years before you diagnose a food allergy in your dog if there is no good diagnostic work-up. If you were to link giving egg and your dog starting itching, it is likely that he is allergic to that food.
Be careful, nowadays there are many commercial foods sold wrongly called “hypoallergenic”, most of them leave much to be desired; and if they are slightly “contaminated”, just a few particles per million of allergenic protein: beef, fish, egg… it is enough to unleash an allergic crisis in your dog.
Egg for your dog and the shine of his coat
People associate giving egg and hair shine. There are even shampoos based on egg yolk. It is logical, B vitamins (such as biotin present in the yolk) contribute to hair health and shine.
Dogs can eat eggs and this contributes to a shiny coat.
Do not think that if one egg is good, a thousand are better, it is not so. Do not abuse it, offer it as a complementary food or dish.
Give one – two days a week an egg-based dish.
Dog recipes with egg
Feeding your dog egg-based would be almost as unhealthy as just feeding it pellets, monodiet is very bad, which is what you are doing if you feed your dog only commercial foods.
However, you will do your dog a great favor if you give him one or two days a week some egg-based dish, because it is already clear that eggs are good for dogs, for example: some scrambled eggs with tuna will drive him crazy. A few hard-boiled eggs and nothing else, he will love them. Some scrambled eggs with some boiled vegetables, you and he/she will have this for dinner, vegetables are a great food for his/her intestine.
If you want to know about puppy nutrition, I recommend my puppy food article.
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